The adage that there is nothing new under the sun is especially true today with tea. I mean, it takes a lot to surprise me. I’ve seen everything-but-the-kitchen-sink type teas all over the place for a while now (Teavana for example. Is there actually any tea in there?) There is ant tea too...and I accidentally created a tea that tasted like bugs, but don’t worry, I have no intention of marketing my tea fail. Still, I did a double take when I saw this tea hit the Trader Joe’s shelves a couple of weeks back. I love watermelon. It does go well with mint. Mint goes well with tea. Yet, the idea of all three of them dancing in a cup together seemed like something that could go very well or terribly wrong. After having a discussion with one of the awesome employees at my local TJs (I won’t change my TJs because the people there are particularly awesome) I decided I had to make my own assessment.

The black tea was a medium bodied one to my taste. As is often case in the world of shelf tea the ingredients list didn’t help with any origin or other detailed info. It just included ‘black tea’ in the list <sigh>. I think it would take a more deeply trained palate than mine to identify the black leaf behind everything else going on. Oh yeah, the ingredients also include orange peels, the ever vague ‘natural flavors’ and licorice (?!). So I wouldn’t recommend it hot by itself, but once I added honey the sweetness of the watermelon emerged. It was still a little weird, but interesting and fun to taste. I decided to do the full dressing and add milk. It wasn’t gross as some might guess, it was just... not helpful.

My gut instinct is that this tea was made to be iced, but it was in small single serving bags, not pitcher sized ones and included “hot tea by the cup” and “iced tea by the pitcher” directions. I thought I’d start traditional with a hot steep. Even though I would have taken a bet that it needed sweetener to have the best effect I did try it without to start. It tasted more like sucking on watermelon rind with a splash of mint rather than sweet watermelon.

Next I did an iced tea from a hot steep. Again, plain was not the best but I think plain iced was better than plain hot. This time I added amber sugar and it was quite good this way. The mint added a refreshing coolness that went beyond the ice and the sugar was a better fit to the watermelon sweetness than the honey I used in the hot steep (it was a raw honey with a definitive flavor that kind of competed with the watermelon rather than just enhanced it).

Lastly I did a cold steep for 8 hours. I think this was the best of all methods. Though I have come to love some of the tannin release in a hot black tea with milk (and sometimes sweetener) and prefer it to the milder cold brew, with this tea the milder brew allowed the fruit to shine brightest. I dissolved some amber sugar crystals in a little warm water for a quick and dirty simple syrup-like sweetener and added it to the cold brew. Both my friend and I agreed this was a great addition and made for a unique iced tea. I’d toss in the idea of making a spiked version with vodka perhaps or even using it in a cocktail with other fruit flavors.

If you have a curious palate and these flavors are ones you usually like, give this tea spin. Make it for your next cookout or other summer event. It may inspire some interesting conversation.​-Cassandra Vincent

I am a natural night owl. Well, at least until 12-2am. But I also love the beauty and energy of early morning. I’m talking when the sun is already out not that pitch black morning crap. I only get up that early if there is a really sweet carrot in it for me. I’m talking 7ish. The tricky parts for me are late morning and early evening. I kept trying to coax myself into earlier nights just to get the mornings on track consistently rather than just for projects, but it always failed. Then I discovered polyphasic sleep. As the name implies it is sleeping in multiple stretches of time rather than just one long one.

I had found a video of someone who had tried it and gave a detailed account of his experience. I thought it was a really clear account and very encouraging (I'll post the link below). There are many polyphasic patterns you can choose like one long period with other shorter periods or just a series of short ones. Now this guy went in bold and immediately dropped his nighttime sleep amount to four hours and added two 25 minute naps during the day. Like he said, it is hard on the body and he walked around like a zombie for days.

I wasn’t on board with that. For me it made more sense to do a more gradual dip. Usually I would sleep between 7 and 8 hours at night unless I was ill or had a particularly demanding day. While I was thinking about trying this polyphasic sleep I found myself naturally moving into a 6 hour nighttime sleep period from 2/2:30am – 8/8:30am with one nap during the day in the early evening. It wasn’t hard because it wasn’t drastic, but the reboot feeling I got from the nap and the consistency of when I would sleep and when I would wake made me feel like I was getting two days in one. I know this is mainly psychological, but greater productivity, clear focus and satisfaction were what I was going for rather than just a huge time gain. Now, technically my schedule was biphasic sleep as I was sleeping in two periods of time not more, as in polyphasic. I just felt this naturally worked better for me. I tried moving the nap to late morning sometimes instead of early evening. I was just listening to my body and taking it when I needed it most depending on schedule demands.

Now how does tea factor into this, you might ask. Well, I had always been able to drink tea whenever I wanted to, even late at night, and I would still be able to sleep. I know that is not the case for everyone and it may have had to do with my constantly changing schedule. I felt that to be successful with this test it would be best if I stopped my tea drinking in the 5-7pm range. So, I would have my last cup of tea after my nap (if I took it in the evening). This kind of gave me the feeling of a second day even more. I found it worked so well that I started to wake up just before my alarm. That’s something the man in the video mentioned, that he had gotten to a place where he no longer needed an alarm.

He also continued to drop his nighttime sleep amount until he was only sleeping two hours per night along with his two daily naps. He said his productivity was amazing. I have not gotten that far. I am going to try to gradually reduce my nighttime sleep period to about four hours and see if that works for me. The time gain is attractive, just so long as I don’t feel deprived.

I am also curious to see if a tea done in a Bulletproof coffee style would give a more sustained caffeine release to make my mornings even more effective. For those who are unfamiliar, Bulletproof Coffee was designed by a man named Dave Asprey. He was inspired after being rejuvenated by Tibetan yak butter tea while in Tibet. The basic idea is adding high quality fats (like MCT oil derived from coconut oil and grass fed butter ) to the coffee which allow for a more effective use of the caffeine and slower release eliminating the crash and extending the brain boosting energy effects. I have tried some variations using tea and did find I enjoyed it. I will have to report back on how well it works with polyphasic sleep. I might even compare the Bulletproof Coffee effect against a tea-centric version.

Now there are some challenges to this kind of sleep pattern. As most of our society doesn’t function this way it is a bit of an isolating experience unless you are in a tight crew of people all taking this on together (which sounds brilliant!). The naps are key but it may take some planning to work them into your schedule. For 9-5ers a nap during lunch and/or a nap after work may suffice. Working around children’s schedules in addition to work schedules may make this a no go for some. Also, it is easy to fall off the pattern. All I needed was one day where I missed my nap and I got off. Also, if you get sick or have the occasional 16-20 hour workday, like us crazy creatives, it can shake the schedule. Still, I feel like I want to see how long and far I can go with this as it really felt right for me. It was like I finally found a sleep pattern that fit my life rather me trying to fit it.

There are many videos and articles out there but if you’d like to watch the video I referenced it is on Youtube. Interested in trying polyphasic sleep or do you think it sounds too radical? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook. Wishing you great sleep and great tea!by Cassandra Vincent

I love tea gifts and when my friend Joanne went to London and brought me back some Mariage Frères Love Song Tea I was jazzed! Thanks Joanne! So this is a mix of a brief review and a cocktail suggestion.

First, a sip of history:

Founded in 1854 and named for a family with a long history of trading in various goods, Mariage Frères supplied tea and tea accessories to hotels and salons of the noble classes. The main shop has 650+ teas from 36 countries including rare varietals and their signature blends based in perfume tradition.

Love Song Black Tea

This tea embodies the romantic notions of Paris to me, with the flavors of roses and almonds in a black blend base. There are actual rose petals and pieces of almonds not just flavoring. There are no further details on the blend on the website, but I found it can be steeped to a deep strength or to a lighter brew by adjusting the amount of tea without losing balance. It is a quite broken leaf so the steep is quick. At 3 minutes, using my usual amount of tea it was quite strong.

The blend has a lovely balance between the almond and rose flavors – neither overwhelm the tea blend which tastes like it includes a bold Indian leaf. The sweetness of the blend is brought out in different ways when adding cream and/or sweetener of choice. I found I could drink this with or without milk if I brewed it light to average strength. The Love Song Tea line includes a green and a rooibos version also.

Tea & Champagne

We decided to say hello to the New Year with a bubbly glass of fun that includes tea of course. Mixing champagne (or sparkling wine) with other flavors is hardly new. If you have not yet paired the bubbly with tea you may want to try these combinations for any time you are feeling festive – birthdays, weddings, launching of a new project or just because life is worth celebrating.

A very simple, low effort way is pairing a pre-made kombucha of your choice with a champagne/prosecco/sparkling wine. I like the brut or dry versions for a less sweet result. If you put the kombucha in your flute first then pour the bubbly leaving some room at the top you can perfect your mix adding more kombucha or bubbles to taste.

Another option is to steep a strong tea of choice to mix with your bubbly. That is what I did with the Love Song black tea. General suggestion: Steep double the amount of tea you would usually use for a cup in half the water. Here is the lowdown:

Steep 2 tsp. tea in 4 oz. water for 3-4 min

strain

Add sweetener while warm if desired (bearing in mind this will be diluted with your bubbly. If you use a sweet instead of dry champagne you may wish to skip the sweetener)

Chill

Fill champagne flute 1/3 with chilled tea

Top with champagne/sparkling wine to 2/3

Taste and decide whether more tea or more champagne is needed

Top with a rose petal or include a berry for presentation

I thought the tea really came through here. I used a brut sparkling wine. I think another great combo would be a dry champagne with a Lapsang Souchong! For those who want the bubbly without the buzz this can be done with a sparking water or seltzer too.

I am looking forward to a new year of festive tea adventures to share with you and wish you all many reasons to celebrate in the coming year! Cheers all!

As the temperature gets colder I find myself reaching for more and more liquid comfort. Tea and hot chocolate isn’t a revolutionary concept but if you’ve never tried it I encourage you to indulge your decadent side. My friend had brought me some dark chocolate and half and half which set my craving aflame, and my play-with-my-food side, so here goes:

Version 1:

1 c water – bring to a boil and add:

1-2 Tb black tea of choice *or 1-2 bags, adjust amount to taste and how broken (smaller) the leaf is. If the leaf is more broken the less tea you’ll likely need

simmer 3-5 minutes (to taste)

strain the leaves out (or remove the bags if that’s what you’re using)

While the tea simmers:

Melt 3 squares (between .8 and 1 oz.) chocolate with about 1 cup half and half or milk alternative of choice (the more fat the more decadent it will be). I used 3 squares of the TJs 73% dark chocolate you can see in the photo above. You can microwave in 10 second increments until melted.

Stir milk and chocolate together until blended.

*If you don’t use a microwave you can slowly melt the chocolate on the stove, or double boiler style, and then add the milk and blend.

Add the chocolate mixture to the tea along with some sugar to taste. I used a teaspoon. If the chocolate you use is very sweet you may want to skip the sugar. Milk chocolate may need less or no sugar compared to a dark chocolate.

Whisk it all together and serve alone, with marshmallows or whipped cream and chocolate shavings or a crispy cookie/biscuit thing for dunking.

Version 2:

Now that first version came out like a decadent dark hot chocolate with an echo of tea flavor. So… I made a regular cup of fairly strong black tea and then mixed together equal parts of the straight tea and the chocolate/tea blend. Then I grabbed my friends and did a taste test. We all agreed that though both were delicious, for tea fabulousness the second option won out. Give both a try and see what you like.

Other variations:

1) Cocoa powder: Using cocoa powder and sugar instead of chocolate – this option is less smooth and luxurious but you have a means of increasing or decreasing the chocolatey-ness without adding fat/cocoa butter. Speaking of which, you could add butter to this method if you want that creamy feel.

2) Instant cocoa packets: Hey, use whatcha got. Sometimes you just have a craving for something chocolatey and maybe you’re a student on a budget or that is just what you have on hand. Why not try heating that up with milk/milk substitute of choice and blending it with a cup of tea in equal amounts.

3) Spicy!: You could do this up like a chocolate chai putting spices like a garam masala blend or just some cinnamon in with the tea when it is simmering. Really good.

4) White chocolate: mix it up with the paler version of this treat.

5) Flavored tea and add-ins: Earl Grey hot chocolate is a familiar option to many tea lovers but you could use a caramel tea, a rose tea, or put lavender or orange extract in the mix (yeah, like those chocolate orange holiday treats).

Go ahead! Play with your tea. We won’t tell. Enjoy!

on L -first tea/chocolate mixture; on R - half tea half tea/chocolate mixture. They look alike but the difference is in the tasting with the cup on the R giving more tea flavor, and less sugar

Make your own special brew. No I’m not talking about deadly nightshade or eye of newt. I’m talking about making your own tea blend! Have you ever had just ‘a little bit of this’ and ‘a little bit of that’ but nothing that amounted to enough for one cup of tea and thought, “Hmmm, what if I just threw it all in together and see what happens!” No? Just me? Well, I have had many surprise successes and a few ‘don’t ever do that agains’, but I’ve always had fun. One of the best blends I made recently was combining the remains of a Bai Hao Oolong with some loose herbal peach thing my friend had that was getting old-ish. The combo was so good that all three of us loved it and I had to make another pot. A success!

Another reason to take a hand at blending: have you ever had a tea blend and thought it would be perfect if it had ‘a little more of this’ or ‘a little less of that’ or just didn’t have that one thing in it all? I know I have. I love rose and I love lavender but I’m not fond of raspberry leaf or raspberry flavouring in tea. I only ever found the rose and lavender with the raspberry and I hated it. Solution: getting a black base tea of my choice, rose petals and lavender. Then I could tweak the amounts at will.

For fall time pumpkin spice lattes are everywhere. For that matter pumpkin is everywhere. It’s gotten obnoxious. Once I see pumpkin spice toilet paper I’ll know we have hit the wall with it. But for those who prefer tea there are many such blends out there. I came across a tea shop sampling their version of the pumpkin spice latte and I thought why not try one at home. I used the same style I would with a homemade chai. If you like pumpkin spice and you like tea why not give it a go! Here is what I did:

Bring 1 ¼ c filtered water to a slow boil

Add 1 TB loose leaf Ceylon tea (or your tea of choice but if it is a very broken leaf tea you may want to use a smaller amount) and 1 tsp pumpkin spice powder

Simmer for 5 min or so – liquid will reduce

Add 1 cup milk (or milk substitute)

Heat thoroughly (Optional: bring it just about to a boil then take it off the heat – I’ve done this up to 3 times and it intensifies the flavor and makes it a bit thicker feeling)

If you want to get decadent here you can add whipped cream and a piece of candy or if you have a frothing tool you can put a layer of frothed milk on top and sprinkle with the spice of your choice or drizzle some caramel or float a ghost marshmallow in it. The choices are endless!

Making your own delicious concoctions isn’t limited to holiday time of course. This is just dipping a toe in the deep pool of tea blending possibilities. So get your cauldron and start experimenting! Happy Halloween!

‘Fast food’ has garnered negative connotation in our society. But not all things that are fast to prepare are inherently bad. I mean how long does it take to wash an apple, and ‘boom’ it’s ready for you to sink your teeth into it. I love juicing but sometimes don’t have time to [or don't want to] wash, peel and cut everything and then clean all 7 parts of the juicer afterwards! I’ve made my own chai too using a variety of spices but sometimes I appreciate a shortcut.

There is a tea house called SaKu Tea that is launching a line of latte powders that use superfoods and some also include tea, Matcha specifically. They reached out to me about their online funding drive and I thought I would give their blends that include tea a try.

Their Maca Cocoa Jade combines the energies of Matcha green tea and maca, a South American root that is used to balance hormones and energize the body among many other positive effects. I used to use maca regularly – it has a decent malty taste but it was far more enjoyable when mixed with the Matcha, cocoa and spices. They suggest adding maple syrup to this blend but I had it both plain and with a raw honey and thought it was tasty both ways. Their other blend incorporating Matcha is Vanilla Maple Jade. The vanilla in this is at a great level – not overpowering or candy-like, but more subtle and acts as a blending element. The maple adds a gentle sweetness and I felt no need to add more sweetener. There are spices and coconut in this blend too but they work with the other flavors to create a good taste collaboration.

They have 2 blends that highlight beetroot and 2 that focus on turmeric. I really liked the Golden Chai – though it did not contain tea it has all the spicy goodness of a classic chai with a heavy dose of turmeric, which I love. I’ve been drinking turmeric milk for years as it is great for so many things including anti-inflammatory properties, easing the body after heavy workouts, good for congestion… The balance of the spices to the turmeric is good with a peppery kick. My understanding is that pepper assists the body in getting the most out of turmeric too.

So if you like the convenience of pre-blended easy to use superfood and tea powders that are low in sugar but tasty you can check out SaKu Tea and their kickstarter here: www.sakutea.com

I’m a fan of nitro – the smooth and creamy texture is a huge plus to my enjoyment. I love good tap beer on nitro. Our old friend Guinness and close mate Murphy’s are great examples of the nitro stout with a fine foamy head that gives the impression near to whipped cream which I love also. I randomly discovered a chocolate milkshake stout that broke me out in a rash of cravings that lasted for weeks.

Then I discovered ice cream made fresh sans any preservatives, using liquid nitrogen to freeze the ingredients as they are being blended resulting in a deliciously fresh and velvety creamy gorgeousness. That caused another rash of cravings. Marvelous!

I have tried nitro cold brew coffee as well. Though I definitely prefer cold brewed coffee to it’s hot brewed version I didn’t feel the nitro was as good a fit here for me. Strange, as in every other case I really prefer it. May be I need to try some more brands to find a better fit as it may have had more to do with the roast than the nitro.

comparing the froth level: B Sweet Nitro Matcha Green Tea on left and Murphy's Stout on right

Now the nitro trend has found its way to tea with tea on tap and also canned versions for purchase at specialty food stores like Whole Foods. I tried B Sweet canned nitro matcha green tea. I thought it might have the widget that causes nitrogen to be released into the liquid upon opening, which I’ve experienced in beer cans, but it did not. The can includes the suggestions “shake well and pour hard”. I think I would have benefitted more from the suggestion “shake hard and pour fast” as I clearly did not shake hard enough and got chunks of matcha at the bottom. Ick. I found that the creamy head on top of the matcha reminded me more of the crema on an espresso shot rather than the thick head on a Guinness. This matcha is unsweetened but has a naturally sweet and mellow character. To my palate it is less grassy than some matchas I have had and is not at all bitter. Everyone has their preference as to matcha taste and there are many grades of matcha. There is no indication on the site or can of what grade is used but I have been told the company uses a blend.

I think the nitro version of matcha is a fun experience that I would repeat. I am interested in trying B Sweet nitro Thai tea and also trying their nitro teas on tap to see if there is a more intense nitro effect. Have you tried nitro tea yet? Are you up for this adventure into tea innovation? Let us know about your nitro experience on ﻿facebook﻿, twitter, pinterest. Cheers!

Though it started in 2016 as part of the 40 year celebration of punk rock, The W in London is still offering their Anarch-Tea with punk inspired sweets and style. Yet another way to share what you love over a cuppa. Check out their site here: http://www.wlondon.co.uk/afternoon-tea

As this is a tea blog written by an entertainer this is a great opportunity to share appreciation for some of the music and style that has inspired me to create, connect and explore. I discovered goth and punk music in two separate moments as a teenager. They were artistically and personally transformative moments that have had a lasting effect on me as an artist.

Now I don’t know what the punk scene was really like for those who were at the vanguard of what has since been referred to as a ‘movement’ in music. I’m not going to romanticize a time and experience I didn't live. I can only speculate and read the stories of those who were there. But I have a visceral response to some of the music and style – I just instantly felt I could relate. After all the desire for individual expression, youth angst, economic challenge and marginalizing did not only exist in the 1970s.

An artistic platform that unites people having a similar experience is a powerful thing. To me one of the greatest aspects of any art form is that it gives the opportunity to connect – ideas as well as people. And punk continues to do this decades after its genesis.

My favourite band associated with the early years of punk is The Damned. I love their sense of humour and intense energy. I have enjoyed all of their albums individually and as a story of their evolution. I also admire that they always seemed to be a band of individuals. They didn’t look like clones of one another but each person had definitive style and I think that came through the music.

Each incarnation of the band resulted in a shift in their sound. There is nothing wrong with signature sound, but I would expect a band that has been around for 40 years would want to continue to explore what they can do. I am so glad they have.

Singer Dave Vanian has been an inspiration of classy vintage/horror style (seen by many as a goth pioneer) and unique sound to me. His instantly recognizable voice, like a sharp blade hiding in a velvet sheath, has the ability to produce a fierce shout and an ethereal lullaby. Marvelous!

The other long-standing member in the current line-up, Captain Sensible, brings a child-like mischievousness and bird-flipping attitude to this day. These two along with the massively fast and aggressive drum style of Rat Scabies and song-writing brilliance of guitarist Brian James were part of the wave that slapped the music world hard enough for it to take notice.

The various incarnations of the band that followed continued to make an entertaining music story on subjects from club life to politics to reflections on the art of others while incorporating musical influences that extended beyond punk without ever losing that soul. It looks like we may even have a new album from them soon! [UPDATE - new album Evil Spirits !]

Punk is a part of our musical history. It deserves to be celebrated, not as a way to freeze it in time or to own it but to recognize the inspiration it gave and still gives to the generations that continue to discover it.

I feel that tea, like music, is a part of the joy of culture. Tea is for all - music is for all - to be experienced and shared in whatever way brings you joy. Hats off to the W for celebrating punk and afternoon tea together. Maybe it will inspire your next tea party.

I am all for innovation but this one made me look twice. You have spray tan why not spray tea?!

No More Tea bags has created a canned tea that is intended to be sprayed into hot water. The idea is to avoid preservative and use aerosol instead and also avoid any bag/ball/basket stuff. Well, I kind of like the basket stuff myself. But if you are on the run and don’t expect to have access to a cuppa I suppose this could be a method to employ. I like that you can control the strength by amount of ‘spray’ to water though. Frankly, I would love to see a period drama where the butler sprays the tea into delicate China cups just for the jollies.

Now this looks to be a black tea item with an original, Earl Grey and Jasmine option. I want to see the look on the faces of the more snooty tea drinkers when someone offers them a cup and then pulls out a spray can. The item is worth talking about for that image alone!

﻿Tea and chocolate – two things I love but would not have thought to actively pair together in complementary way. In the past I’ve experienced chocolate with coffee more often or with wine. It turns out tea is a great companion to decadent chocolate.

The first and last were my favourites. The blooming tea and paired chocolate was a great complementary set of tropical flavors. Biting into the chocolate and then sipping the warm tea and allowing it to melt the chocolate slowly was fantastic. Except for the Mauritius, none of the other teas were sweetened which made for an even better complement to my palate as it was not overly sweet – the tea did not compete with the chocolates for sweetness. The addition of the milk and the sugar in the Mauritius served to ease the bitterness of this full bodied tea and was a decadent finish with the mousse. I can’t help but want to play with more chocolate and tea combos after this indulgence. Raising a cup to indulgence and hoping I inspired you to go and get something tasty. Life should be delicious. What are you waiting for? Go on and get yourself some!Some ‘go deeper’ details:*About blooming teas: Known by many names including blooming, blossoming, flowering, these are teas hand tied with flowers and sometimes flavoured with fruits as well. The tea used is usually of high quality and most often white, green or black. The shapes they are tied into vary from balls to slipper shapes to crescents to hearts and more. I’ve even seen one in the shape of a flame. When steeping these teas open up in the water releasing their flowers and creating beautiful shapes. They are great served in glass teapots to watch the opening. Also beautiful served in wine glasses. ** About St. Mauritius tea: The tea plants used to make this unique tea are grown between vanilla plants and are imbued with vanilla flavor and aroma just from proximity. The tea has no further flavouring during processing. It is a very broken leaf tea so that the water during steeping has a lot of surface area to work on resulting in a dark, strong brew quickly. It is a full bodied tea with a pleasant light vanilla aroma and flavor that is great with milk. Sweetener also brings out the vanilla notes.